This invention relates in general to feedlot operations and, more specifically, to a method and apparatus for culling poorly performing livestock from a feedlot herd before significant time and money have been expended in feeding them.
Many animals, such as cattle, if raised entirely on range grass and similar feeds do not reach an optimum heavy weight and do not produce meat of highest quality. Therefore, many such animals are raised for an initial period on ranches, then are taken to "feedlots" where they are fed an optimized high weight gain diet for a period prior to slaughter.
Since the cost of feed and the care necessary at the feedlots is high, it is necessary that weight gains be maximized to assure profitability. While most animals are brought to feedlots at weights in a fairly narrow range, the weight gains experienced by different animals varies significantly. Some gain so little that the increased value of the animal is less than the feeding cost. Therefore, the profitability of a feedlot could be greatly increased if the poorly performing livestock could be called out early in the feeding program.
Attempts have been made to cull out poor performers by appearance or other tests prior to shipping livestock to the feedlot. However, often the poorest appearing animals gain the most weight during the program and vice versa.
Sometimes the lightest appearing animals are removed at some point during the feeding program. This is not very effective since at least some of the lightest animals part way through the program were probably the lightest originally, so that their weight gain is actually n proportion to the group as a whole.
Therefore, there is a continuing need for a system for eliminating poorly performing livestock as early as possible in a feeding program.